"Our aircraft was never in Iranian airspace. It was always flying in international air space. The recognized limit is 12 nautical miles off the coast and we never entered the 12 nautical mile limit," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in responding to questions from reporters after CNN reported the incident.

Little said the United States believed this was the first time an unmanned aircraft was shot at by the Iranians in international waters over the Gulf. In December of 2011, a U.S. surveillance drone crashed in eastern Iran. Iranians claimed to have shot it down, and created a toy model of the drone to celebrate its capture.

Little stopped short of calling the incident an act of war although the Pentagon was concerned.

Two U.S. officials explained the jets were part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps force, which has been more confrontational than regular Iranian military forces.

At least two bursts of gunfire came from the Su-25s' cannons. The drone started to move away but the Iranian aircraft chased it, doing aerial loops around it before breaking away and returning to Iran.

The Obama administration did not disclose the incident before the presidential election, but three senior officials confirmed the details to CNN on Thursday. They declined to be identified because of sensitive intelligence matters surrounding the matter.

The drone's still and video cameras captured the incident showing two Su-25s approaching the Predator and firing onboard guns.

The Iranian pilots continued to fire shots that went beneath the Predator but were never successful in hitting it, according to the officials.

U.S. military intelligence analysts are still not sure if the Iranian pilots simply were unable to hit the drone due to lack of combat skill, or whether they deliberately were missing and had no intention of bringing it down.

But as one of the officials said, "it doesn't matter, they fired on us."

Little said the United States has to assume Iran was trying to bring down the Predator.

The United States protested the incident but had not heard back from Iran.

Protocol 7,para3. – UNIVERSAL WAR. " We must be in a position to respond to every act of oppsition by war with the neighbours of that country which dares to oppose us: but if these neighbours should also venture to stand collectively together against us, then we must offer resistance﻿ by a universal war. 4.- The principal factor of success in the political is the secrecy of its undertakings : the word should not agree with the deeds of the diplomat." – (Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion).

US sends drone to spy on Iran, as it has done continuously for years, no doubt collecting targeting data to assist in US/Israeli attack on Iran. Iran reportedly fires at drone gathering targeting data to assist US in bombing Iran. US astonished at Iran’s “aggression” toward US drone gathering intelligence to assist a US attack on Iran.
“‘There is absolutely no precedence for this,’ [Pentagon spokesman George] Little said. ‘This is the first time that a (drone) has been fired upon to our knowledge by Iranian aircraft.’”
US shocked that the Iranians would have the gall to respond to US hostile gestures in the region. Oh but it was in international waters!
Imagine the US response to an Iranian drone operating in international Gulf of Mexico waters off of Florida.

I would actually support Obama if he simply to Iran, im coming for a week. Then do it. Fly Air Force 1 rt on in there . There would be big ceremony. Go see the country and its people. Force the public on both sides to befriend each other. I spent 2 yrs in iran yrs ago, and people are people. They are very nice and kind.
Most americans would be surprised.

Um I think the problem is they want to wipe Israel off the map and have a nuke. While we are being forced to befriend eachother how would you have the President handle this situation with Israel? Would you simply say hey whateer just leave us out of it were buds now. Or would you orce Iran to befriend Israel too. Brilliamt foreign policy you have there how come no one else has already thought about doing this?

Certain things are sometimes better left alone. This is just one of them. I believe the Iranians only tried to bluf and knew the implications of actually bringing down the drone. And even if it was a failed attempt to bring down the drone, it's better the Americans allow the matter to lie low and pass because the consequences of aggravating it is not in anybody's best interest.

I wonder if Iran going around and using drone within international water near USA I bet they will destroy anything flying by that's how paranoia americans are

So who gave the right to be there in the first place why are american using such a spying toy going around oh we are in international water we didn't get further than that damn cry me river go back near your own border you will be fine

Zak, hey stupid, Israel just shot down an Iranian drone, except it was in Israeli airspace. What is it with you liberals who always, ALWAYS blame the USA first, but when your butt is in a sling look for the USA for help.

Amerika be warned your power is declining. Remember what candi Rice said during the GOP convention... you cant lead from behind. And your enemies are sure to test you when you show weakness. Iranian firing missiles on americas drone in an unprovoke attack? Interesting .. Could this have happen under Walker Bush. They wouldnt even dare. But now they becos you have a leader who dont understand what power is

The US terror drones that kill innocent civilians thousands of miles away from any US territory are a constant act of aggression. Most of the world thinks these disgusting American war crimes are worse than any of the lies CNN regurgitates from Fox News about Iran.

Everyone that doesn't live in the USA would rather see Iran "win" rather than the USA starting world war 3 and killing another million innocent civilians in Iran, like you did in Iraq.

November 9, 2012 at 6:07 am |

Donna Noe

@ Bourne. Please stop writing if you can't write proper English. You seem to be quite ignorant of US military power. We could blow Iran of the face of the earth with the push of a button. Although, most Americans, including me, have the hope of world peace.

November 9, 2012 at 6:18 am |

Jo

No one said fired missile just fired they probably just fired with guns not missile and because a drone is small it is hard to hit it without missile

Nonsense. You can certainly lock on to a Predator with either infrared or radar... but there is absolutely no reason to waste an expensive missile because drones are slow and can't jink. Shooting one down with the gun is like strafing trucks. Don't kid yourself.

More sabre-rattling! A nuclear armed Iran is no threat to the US. It's no threat to Europe. It's certainly no threat to Israel, including the Palestinians, Arabs, Persians and Muslims living in and near it that Iran has no desire to harm. Furthermore, Iran's leadership certainly does not want to be vaporized at the hands of western forces; how embarrassing that would be. And the theocracy Iran's leadership controls and maintains provides them with a cushy life. They have no desire to chuck it down the gutter. But of course, this is just stating the obvious. Critical thinkers know that the real reason the US opposes a nuclear armed Iran is because it levels the playing field. The US/West has been invading, occupying and stripping away natural resources in the Middle East for well over a century now. Ever since Britain realized the advantages of creating an Israeli state, the west has had a permanent base in the Middle East to prop up its interests. But today the west shudders in fear as non-western players become more powerful in our increasingly globalized world, including ones that aren't willing to bend over backward for Western imperialism. Now Iran probably will be bombed, innocent citizens there will be killed, but this doesn't change anything for the West. The hegemony is coming to an end. No amount of fear mongering, bombing or "freedom spreading" will change this reality. It might delay it, but it won't change it.

Back up your ad-hominem attack! Why don't you use your ideas to communicate your opinion? Or is that asking to much of you? IMO Kedzie nailed it on the head! The only suicidal thing for the Iranians to do, would be to NOT secure a nuclear weapon. We have thousands, and Israel has hundreds, so why should we go to war with Iran for securing peace of mind for themselves??

November 9, 2012 at 5:12 am |

RichardS

More sabre-rattling! A nuclear armed Iran is no threat to the US. It's no threat to Europe. It's certainly no threat to Israel, including the Palestinians, Arabs, Persians and Muslims living in and near it that Iran has no desire to harm. Furthermore, Iran's leadership certainly does not want to be vaporized at the hands of western forces; how embarrassing that would be. And the theocracy Iran's leadership controls and maintains provides them with a cushy life. They have no desire to chuck it down the gutter. But of course, this is just stating the obvious. Critical thinkers know that the real reason the US opposes a nuclear armed Iran is because it levels the playing field. The US/West has been invading, occupying and stripping away natural resources in the Middle East for well over a century now. Ever since Britain realized the advantages of creating an Israeli state, the west has had a permanent base in the Middle East to prop up its interests. But today the west shudders in fear as non-western players become more powerful in our increasingly globalized world, including ones that aren't willing to bend over backward for Western imperialism. Now Iran probably will be bombed, innocent citizens there will be killed, but this doesn't change anything for the West. The hegemony is coming to an end. No amount of fear mongering, bombing or "freedom spreading" will change this reality. It might delay it, but it won't change it.

LOL! - BarachObama, is that you again?! Don't you have a country to run? For the POTUS to post anonymously on the CNN security blog is a waste of time. Another round of golf instead maybe?

...This article leads us to the logical question...
WHY did we NOT blast their SU-25 out of the sky if they were firing at us?!
WHY did we allow them to take pot shots at the drone?!
Their plane should be sitting on the bottom of the gulf right now.

Why are we there, you say??? Well, if you read anything besides the politico drole from CNN, you would have read that the U.S. Military was doing excercises in the Persian Gulf, and the drone was observing those said excercises.....

This type of action is typical of Obama, Iran commits and act of war in international airspace and Obama wants to have a discussion, but if an American citizen questions Obama's motives in passage of a law which infringes on our rights, that citizens gets a visit from the Secret Service with a warning to "Watch What You Say and Keep Quiet".

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

I find your sour-grapes lightly veiled racist rant amusing. Perhaps you, Donald Trump, Ted Nugent and Victoria Jackson should have a pity party with plenty of assault rifles fired into the air (watch for those shells falling back to earth) and showing off your birth certificates and college transcripts (what a rave) 🙂

It takes an ignorant person to make a comment like yours. If whites are losing influence it's because they don't study and work as hard as others these days. Perhaps you should pray more? More educated people overwhelmingly voted for Obama. Whatever the colour. Just sayin... Anyway I post this because any of this "white" business drives me nuts and doesn't make any sense. I'm a white Canadian living in Africa, btw.

More war propaganda from CNN. "Iran has, at other times, been confrontational in the region." Iran has been confrontational? Are you effin kidding me? Sanctions, scientists murdered, factories blownup and cyber attacks are all things that have happened to Iran yet cnn calls them confrontational. What a joke! If cnn had any honesty they would state we are pushing war in syria and iran. Remember "Syrian Danny"?

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

Strange Why does Iranian sent Su-25 which is ground attack aircraft against drone. Stupid Yankees again making propaganda against a nation who resists. Morons if they really wanted to bring that drone down they would have sent interceptor like F-7, Mig-29 or F-14.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

Where is your facts that the US killed 1 million Iraqis. You're a fool if you believe that propaganda. http://www.iraqbodycount.org/ approximately 120k deaths have occurred since 2003 and that includes sectarian violence. They're killed each other at a much higher rater than coalition forces did.

The "1,000,000 dead Iraqis" propaganda was originated in Hollywood, (See the movie Air Force One) U.S. forces in all military operations have killed fewer not counting those engaging in hostile actions against U.S. forces) Iraqi citizens than Saddam did during his reign of terror or the radical Islamists and their IEDs.

November 9, 2012 at 3:37 am |

rhondajo3

"First on CNN"?? Are you serious??? Foxnews has been posting this ALL DAY! The big question is ... why are we JUST NOW being confronted with this attack, even tho it happened last week, before the election?? OOOHHH YEA, Odumma didn't want anyone to find out about it before the elections. So much for transparency!

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

Nothing is ever reported straight away by the news. You should notice that by now. Some things take months to make it there. Congress and to speak on this between themselves, and decide whether or not to release this to the public. And even then, they had to have anonymous sources tell them the information. Information can be deadly in the wrong hands, and the government was trying to forstall chaos. If they announced with no preparation that a plane had been fired upon, they could have been pushed into stupid choices without time to think it over clearly.

Yea, like when Bin Laden was killed it took the administration a whole 3 hours to report the incident... This administration is so easy to read it isn't funny!

November 9, 2012 at 1:06 pm |

You sheeple make my head hurt

The fact that you have mentioned FOXNEWS as if it is some kind of credible news source... Blows my mind.

You're shocked that you're only just hearing about this? PAH-Lease, how ill-informed and uneducated can you be? (oh, that's right, you watch foxnews)

You still think you are told about everything that go's on?

This is fear mongering at it's finest! Typical america!

With regards to this attack, ever maybe question why they might attack a drone? Could it possibly be that you americans may have possibly been firing drone missiles at them, killing their innocent men, women and children? No, of course not! They don't show that on fox news!

And as for transparency, to think there is any transparency within your government, or any other government for that matter...is laughable!

Oh, and the nonsense about before/after the election, the election was just an elaborate circus, politics in america and around the world are a joke!

The first sentence you read I presume told you that we were told about his after the election not before when it actually happened. But you think you are reading a legitimate news source. Sheeple? Look in the mirror.

CNN has to be the most misinformed news agency out there. Allow me to correct CNN's lazy journalism. The SU-25 is a Soviet ground attack aircraft that was meant to support Soviet ground troops. Its air to air capability is virtually nonexistent as it only has autocannons meant to shoot ground targets. It is old and sluggish and easily outmaneuvred. It would be like sending an A-10 Warthog to engage an enemy aircraft. This was simple harassment and a warning by Iran, nothing more. If they really wanted to shoot down a UAV, they could have easily done so. It's a publicity stunt. CNN reporting at its worst again. Did you fire all your experts or is Tes Turner making you stir the pot again in favor of Israel?

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

Although they aren't fighters, Frogfoots are more than capable of downing a subsonic aircraft, because like the A-10, they can carry air-to-air missiles on the external hardpoints. If the Su-25s where armed with R-60s and never fired them, it may give an indication as to what Iranian intentions were.

The administration is paying CNN and CBS back by offering exclusive information in exchange for helping him spread bias lies about Romney. Republicans will never forget what the liberal media did and if you think we will work with the democrats – you're wrong. God, Country, and my Values will be spilled on the battlefield before I compromise with the liberal party that wants to take them away.

Lol!....this is a great way to attack Obama! What President in history has ever told you what they were going to do when in office and they did it? Now let's be honest! Obama hasnt done any worse than any other President.....and as much s@#t the last President left us in, it will take bout four to six years to clean that up! Stop hatin! Stop Obama-bashing, and try to help instead of pointing fingers! This is the great USA and if you think this would have made a difference with the election results....then I have some beach front property in Arizona I wanna sell you! Wake up and get real! ROMNEY LOSS because he loss! And if you dont like it, live with it! If we went to war over this, where would this put our country with our debt issues....then you be blaming Obama for that too! It doesnt matter what he does you haters will find a reason to hate! Wake up and appreciate the great country you live in!

"At least two bursts of gunfire came from the Su-25s' cannons. The drone started to move away but the Iranian aircraft chased it, doing aerial loops around it before breaking away and returning to Iran."

Haha, the Iranians were just having fun with the American drones, lil burst of gunfire and then sweeping around it making it to turn away
The SU-25 is an ground attack craft like the A-10
The Iranians won't send a tankbuster to destroy a flying target, their not stupid.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

CNN first to propagate another BS excuse for more military action. This is another WMD fog pulled over your eyes. My big brother though smarter and significantly stronger made bad decisions as well. These cats can't even drop a drone.....what are we all shuck about? Sheepville USA.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

You all are too funny! You Obama haters!...still sore Romney lost huh? Well, if you dont like it here, take you azz somewhere else! See how long it take you to realize how good you have it over here! And just a reminder....Obama is your President for another four!

Oh, so you WANT another war is that it? What is it with you war mongering far right extremists? Haven't you caused enough pain and suffering as it is? When will you warmongers be satisfied? When the world is in flames? I say, HELL NO to that.

November 9, 2012 at 2:31 am |

OlderButWiser

Gee I wonder what the engineers at Area 51 are working on now?

Can't be radium tipped tank shells they already did that.

Can't be stealth they already did that.

Can't be the Space Fence they already did that.

Can't be Drones they already did that.

Can't be laser weapons they already have done that.

Can't be a robotic satellite destruction Space Plane they already did that.

It has been reported they are building Flying Saucers. So it can't be that.

Maybe they are working on a fully operational Space Placed Battle Station. You know one of those humongous round things that destroys entire planets. Or maybe a "Clone Army."

God those American engineers are so imaginative.

Iranian scientists? They are trying to figure out how to build a nuclear weapon. Damn a 14 year old American high school student built one of those after researching it at a library. Of course it didn't have any plutonium in it but they said if it had it would have been a fully functional bomb.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

no no you misunderstand – this is the most trasnparent administration in history (somebody find out who posted that and silence them now!) – I like how now the obasher admin now has "fresh concerns" – what about the nuclear bomb they've been building for 4 years while obama is out apologizing for us brutish americans?

Ok for one its a gray area whether it is an act of war due to the fact that the equipment does not have a service member involved. If there was then yes definitely the US Military will retaliate. For those people who always so fast to say lets pull the trigger does not think and uses their feelings to cloud their personal judgement. I fought in OIF and its not like a gangsta movie where you decide to just shoot ppl up like call of duty. Military Operations are very delicate and decisions are sensitive. Idc who the president is he/she would not execute military operations over a skirmish like this. Its not worth the lives or the money to do it. Also for you people who bash on Obama being the president I totally feel sorry for you because every comment i read about anti Obama sounds more of hatred because he's not white. Whether you like or not we go up or go down together so if you wanna bash on someone you should look at yourself in the mirror before you say uneducated things. You guys all talk like you know what to do or have backed it up before. half of you commentators havent even seen war or death. Have you ever seen your friend get blown up and you have to pick up his body parts with a shovel? No! so stfu!

Actually, I opposed Obama because I disagree with his policies and actions, and do not like his failure to fulfill almost any of the major promises he gave the first time around. I feel sorry for him to be honest, look at all the crap he just inherited. But of coruse now I'm a racist, in your eyes. Who's the ignorant one now?

And what about the fact that he hid this from the public until after he was re-elected? An American aircraft was fired upon multiple times, and he 100% hid it from the public until after elections. How are you going to back up your 'only apposed by people who are racists' argument now?

grasp at any hypothetical straw you want. Romney lost the election, deal with it.

November 9, 2012 at 2:13 am |

jookie

remember, you had a democratic president , with a sitting congress mostly republican. They blocked many attempts of his to get bills passed. Typical.People tend to forget the small stuff when they are trying to push their agendas on others.

Actually, I opposed Obama because I disagree with his policies and actions, and do not like his failure to fulfill almost any of the major promises he gave the first time around. I feel sorry for him to be honest, look at all the crap he just inherited. But of coruse now I'm a racist, in your eyes. Who's the ignorant one now?

And what about the fact that he hid this from the public until after he was re-elected? An American aircraft was fired upon multiple times, and he 100% hid it from the public until after elections. How are you going to back up your 'only apposed by people who are racists' argument now?.

Ok first tell me one policy that persuaded you to vote for Mitt Romney? Then I wanna hear what ppl actually think about what you sed. Another thing even if it was told during the elections do you really think people would have voted for Romney instead? Will it really affect the outcome? I hardly doubt it! The electoral votes Obama won is by a landslide. If it was a football game Romney would have gotten embarrassed. Bottom line is idc who won the presidency cos I would support him regardless and not complain on CNN on the negative things you feel about him.

November 9, 2012 at 2:17 am |

Arthur

Aww that's cute, you both assume I support mitt Romney just because I don't support Obama. I think they are both poor choices for president, and did not vote for either one. And I'm not the one that brought up the election in this.

November 9, 2012 at 2:19 am |

Michael Lina

Then why are you complaining? tell me bro? what you mad about?

November 9, 2012 at 2:21 am |

Arthur

Well, someone's maturity level just dropped a few points. I'm not the one complaining. I simply answered his accusation that everyone who was against Obama did so over some misguided racism. I corrected him on that point. I see no complaining here.

Romney did lose. He was the only candidate that had a chance. You oppose Obama. Therefor you have to 'deal with it' (Obama winning) when Romney loses.

November 9, 2012 at 2:33 am |

Arthur

Well in that case, saying obama lost, deal with it would have made a lot more sense to type. You may not have said it specifically, but it was implied.

November 9, 2012 at 2:39 am |

MEC

For all of those Americans recommending going to war, are you planning on going? Are you planning on sending your family members to go? Just curious. I know too many Americans eager to go to war, but not willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. It's like Mitt Romney and his wife suggesting that he and their sons doing missionary work for their church is comparable to serving this country as part of the military. I can assure you isn't. I've had family members serve this country and go to war. Stop making it seem like it's no big deal to jump into a war.

And based on this, what's your opinion of the crew of the USS Vincennes which shot down Iran Air Flight 655, a civilian jet airliner, on 3 July 1988 as it flew over the Strait of Hormuz at the end of the Iran–Iraq War while flying in Iranian airspace over Iran's territorial waters? All 290 onboard including 66 children and 16 crew perished. I'm sure the Iranians have upgraded their rules of engagement since then.

November 9, 2012 at 2:04 am |

Ken

Actually, I would prefer that drones fight it out. Drone vs Drone.

November 9, 2012 at 2:11 am |

Jannai

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

I agree with you that serving as a missionary is nothing like serving the military. Serving the military a family member can loose their life. I doubt the risk would be that high in serving as a missionary.

Very true Olderbudweiser! Which makes me wonder our politicians bother selling these warplanes to the dictators when we know they are only used against the dictators' own people – e.g. in Sudan. Such brave pilots when they are shooting up women in villages made of mud and thatch houses!

It's an act of war when an unarmed drone is fired on by Iranians, but not an act of war when Israel attacks the USS Liberty and machine guns the life boats to try to ensure there are no witnesses? Was it an act of war when the USS Vincenes shot down an Iranian civilain passenger space which was in Iranian air space at the time?

Don't be fooled Obama. This is DoD posturing in front of another round under the scalpel early Q1 appropriations. I expect an all out assault against good sense after a Romney defeat. You are doing good. 4 more years sounds great. These guys need to find 100 million in reoccurring annual spending to keep us afloat and they know it. Ease up on Iran. Take the lead, and save us money on defense.

Too bad the sources who uncovered all those military absentee ballots and were so skillful as to even find the soldier who signed for them, couldn't have focused their attention on the gulf back on Nov. 1st when the Iranians disrespected our drone and the administration twisted arms to keep this horrific blemish on american pride from being revealed. We would all have voted for Romney if we had only known the truth and then demanded the death of 1000 Iranians to restore that drones and our honor.

Why do people such as the commenters here, think there is any legitimate reporting coming out of the pop news, pop media establishment ? Why would you expect anything other than a political agenda ? Why ?

An armed Predator drone meant for ground attack would actually have an easier time shooting down a Su-25 than an old Su-25 would have trying to shoot down a drone. Sort of laughable. I guess this really does mean selling them all those F-14s (a total mantenance nightmare and with a lack of spare parts on the open maket) was a smart idea.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

That can't be true, because if it were, we would have all killed ourselves a loooong time ago.

November 9, 2012 at 1:25 am |

Jannai

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

You are great at posting American history. You just conveniently leave out the trillions of dollars (Never paid Back) that U.S. taxpayers piad to rebuild this world after WWII. It was called the Marshall Plan.

You conveniently leave out that it has been the U.S. taxpayer who has footed the bill for a U.S. Military that has protected the free world from aggressors since 1945. While we were spending 5 to 10% of our GDP on defense The French, Italians, Greeks, English etc were spending 1% on their military while taking 4 week vacations each summer.

Have no idea how many billions or trillions we have spent on spy satellites as a early warning defense system for the free world.

As to being bankrupt? You believe this malarkey we are broke? Well the government may have "Borrowed" 17 trillion from the SS Trust Fund and is now raiding the Medicare Trust Fund American Corporations are sitting on an estimated 14 trillion dollars in cash.

The estimated domestic wealth of our 20th Century infrastructure is valued at 188 trillion dollars. American owned foreign assets are estimated to have a value of 14 trillion dollars. 90% of the commercial ships on the oceans even thought they fly foreign flags for tax purposes are owned by U.S. citizens.

Improperly educated Americans make me ill.

November 9, 2012 at 1:44 am |

john

The Jews control all. They will have their war soon enough. Obama is a Jew pawn. Wait for it.

The bigger picture here is WHY were the American people not told about this when it happened a week ago. WHY because of the Election. Obama was Afraid for it to come out. So it was basically a cover up until he was reelected.

There needs to be full Congressional hearings on this – seems like an impeachable offense to me – withholding information from the American public with relation to our National Security, information that could have impacted how individuals voted in this election.

OK, these guys can't even shoot down an unmanned drone from a fighter jet. I went to Vegas a while back and stopped to watch the planes land at McCarran Airport on my way out of town ~ I could have hit one of them with a baseball.

You can certainly argue they intentionally missed, especially since Iranians are also humans and therefore possess enough intellect to appreciate the consequences of their actions.

However, considering the SU25 "cannon" is essentially a modified Red Ryder BB Gun, the chances our our drone returning to base unscathed were pretty good, regardless of their intent.

November 9, 2012 at 1:44 am |

Colleen

Why isn't anyone asking the question, "Why was this information CONCEALED from the American public by the Administration prior to the election?" Because it could potentially demonstrate President Obama's incompetence / ignorance with respect to dealing with Iran? What Iran did was an act of war, and America needs to send a message to Iran that such actions will not be tolerated.

Furthermore, if this was a Republican Administration, we all KNOW that there would be immediate Congressional hearings on why the American public wasn't informed of this situation prior to the election. It's interesting how so little attention is being paid to this by our liberal American media.

Remember when you were in the 3rd Grade and that bully stole your dessert off your lunch tray? And your dad told you to just ignore it because it wasn't worth the trouble because it was just dessert? That was some good advice wasn't it? Because that bully never stole anything from you again did he?

This is about putting our soldiers in harms way over a missed shot at a robot. You can't just boil the world down to school house analogies.

November 9, 2012 at 2:38 am |

curious

Colleen, wake up and smell the coffee. Do you know anything about politics? There are certain things that the public do not need to know, specially immediately!!! These are things that our politicians get paid to figure out, not us the public. Mitt Romney lost, get used to it. The GOP is a failed party and need to revise their view on the Americans and what America is made of.

You will notice a couple of things about the comments on this story. One of course is the silly and irrational desire for some kind of response not commensurate with the situation. I'm as Right as they come but total obliteration of Iran is hardly the best response. Does Irans actions merit a military response? Of course. But one that is intelligent,
painful and doesn't project the image of a wildly flailing nation. The foil as opposed the the blunt instrument.

More disturbing perhaps are those comments which posit a moral equivalency between Iran and America. The whole idea of the great evil's perpetrated by America being a justification for others to commit evil or violate norms. I suspect that most of these comments actually come from Americans. Americans that apparently despise their own nation enough to make excuses for a murderous, intolerant, 9th Century regime run by a religious death cult. I know, I know. The "Religious Right" is just like them!!!! But that of course has as much truth to it as Iran being morally equivalent to America in regard to its relation and contribution to the rest of the world.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

Funny, the 'civilian' plane that the US shot down was full of naked, tied-together bodies that were ALREADY DEAD. A friend of mine who was involved in the recovery at the time confirmed this to me. It was a provoked attack BY IRAN to further whatever 'we are the victim, US is the aggressor' agenda they have.

Shooting down the two planes wouldn't anymore "start a war" than firing at the drones did. Do you really think Iran wants war with us? The government would be replaced in weeks. There would be no war as a result of us shooting down planes that shot at us first.

November 9, 2012 at 2:40 am |

curious

I'm baffled how ignorant you are. Do you think that because of this drone it is worth going to war with Iran? Don't you think that the Government needs to concentrate on America's internal problems first and pay their debt before spending more money on a useless war? Educate yourself BUD!

MISREPRESENTATION OF THE NEWS: In Anderson Cooper News at 10:00 PM ET ( November 8 ) it was reported that Iranian Jets fired an American Drone in the Persian Gulf ONE day before the Presidential election yet the report above mentions that this incident happened on November 1... just as I heard it on FOX News. My question to CNN News are these: Why the disparity between what was reported in TV as opposed to what is reported above? Why was this incident NOT reported to the public as soon as this information reached you? Also, I ask the same question about the news of the killing of the US Ambassador and the three other people in Libia. These tragic news were reported by FOX News shortly after this incident happened regardless of the timing BEFORE the election. It is obvious that the Obama administration did not want these kind of news to be known by the public for fear of perhaps loosing the election or for fear of perhaps fear of loosing thousands of votes, being this of course, very detrimental to his election. In the past I had respect for the way the news were reported by CNN but know it is clear to me that your reporting is very biased and do not report in a "fair and balanced manner". Unfortunately, you have become like the rest of the "mainstream media" unfair and "protectors " of a corrupted government such as the one we have right now.

Good call! however I'm afraid that this is the information that we will get for the next 4 years..... Oh BTW, the nukes are on the way to annihilate us, but I'm sure the administration won't send out the press release until weeks after the impact... then we'll all be in the "know". This is so ridiculous, all this money being spent on high tech surveillance, the spying programs everywhere foreign and domestic, in prosecuting people for "pre-crimes" now, and yet when something like this of high priority occurs, it takes a week to report. Huh, guess it must have been sent by carrier pigeon to the media.

I bet it wasn't reported becauseof two possible scenarios: (1) the Republicans would have had to have Mitt Romney foaming at the mouth declaring he was goin' to find the evil-doers and brung 'em to justice, and thump his barrel and say that when elected he would immediately mobilise Americans to attack Iran. This would immediately cause ppeope to vote for Obama. OR (2) The US suspected it might have been a false flag attack by the Israelis (comparable to their attack on the USS Liberty) and wanted to avoid misleading the American public at election time....

@maias: That's an interesting analysis of the situation, but you seem, like CNN here, to have forgotten the third logical scenario, which would be that it would demonstrate, just as a full and transparent reporting of the facts about Benghazi would, that Obama's foreign policy is unraveling, if he ever had one at all. The vote may have gone a little differently then. Or is that what you mean by "misleading the public at election time"? So now it's the president's or the pentagon's or whoever's job to decide what facts are relevant to the election and which are not...sounds like an informed electorate to me. Why can't the American people just have the facts, when they happen, and decide for themselves if it matters?

November 9, 2012 at 8:46 am |

jqwerty91

Hi I'm President Obama and I assassinated a 16 year old American boy using one of my favorite war toys as show in this article and I got a Nobel Peace Prize for that.

Sources confirmed today that hundreds of thousands of military absentee ballots were delivered hours after the deadline for them to be counted. Officials say the ballots were delivered late due to problems within
the military mail system. Tracking invoices show the ballots sat in a warehouse for a month, then they were accidentally labeled as ammunition and shipped to Afghanistan. At Camp Dwyer, Marine Sergeant John Davis signed for them and was surprised at the contents.

The problem with this supposed statement, Rose, is that its imaginary. Just like tax cuts spur economic growth, Romney has the enthusiasm edge, and the Easter Bunny is the Governor of Nebraska. NO STATE, I repeat, NO STATE, operates an absentee voter system that is dependent on the time of delivery of the ballots to determine if they are lawful countable votes. They ALL go by the postmark date. Each state has provisions at law to count absentee and provisional ballots, where applicable, after the election date and to add those votes to the official state totals reported in its certificate. Each state has until the date for selection of the Electors to make its certification.

The banana republics of Florida, Arizona and Ohio are still counting votes, and will be doing so through much of November. They are absolute disgraces. The Justice Department needs to sue each of them for encroaching on the rights of voters.

A contractor in Afghanistan who was worried about his absentee ballot getting lost said his ballot has now reappeared in the U.S. Postal tracking system.

But he still questions why there was a five-week delay.
The tracking system was updated sometime the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 2 to reflect that his ballot had reached a New York mail facility. Early that same morning, the contractor sent an email to Military Times expressing concern that his county elections clerk in Texas had not received his ballot or his co-worker’s ballot by Nov. 1, although they mailed the ballots Sept. 27. “The Bagram Airfield Army post office placed Express mail tracking numbers on them, placed the ballots in an orange ‘Ballot Box,’ and probably in a dedicated mail bag.

“If our ballots got lost, how many other ballots are lost as well?” he wrote. Their mail travels through the military postal system in Afghanistan along with troops’ mail and other civilians’ mail.

Earlier Friday, the U.S. Postal Service tracker showed those ballots were still in Bahrain, and had been sitting there since Sept. 30.

It’s unknown whether other ballots may have been affected.

DoD spokeswoman Air Force Lt. Col. Melinda Morgan said Friday that to her knowledge, ballots were not stuck in Bahrain.

She said DoD has verified that all absentee ballots at Bahrain have "departed the Bahrain Military Postal Facility on a [U.S. Postal Service]-contracted air carrier destined for a U.S.P.S. international service center in the United States."

U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman Katina Fields confirmed that her agency is working with military postal service officials to determine what happened to the ballots.

"We are investigating reports of possible missing military election ballots. We take this situation very seriously and expect to resolve this matter as quickly as possible," Fields said.

Once the ballots reach the U.S., they are the responsibility of the U.S. Postal Service. Until then, they are the responsibility of the Military Postal Service Agency.

The contractor in Afghanistan has mailed a replacement ballot. Texas will accept absentee ballots mailed from outside the U.S. until Nov. 12, if they are postmarked by Nov. 6.

The Obama administration did not disclose the incident before the presidential election, but three senior officials confirmed the details to CNN on Thursday. They declined to be identified because of sensitive intelligence matters surrounding the matter.

Communism is simply the final phase and goal of socialism — big government — using this power to take from one person and give to another. They control the media: the news print, and the television media, and Hollywood.

step 1, control the media
step 2, destroy Christianity and promote political correctness.
step 3, overload the system and make people dependent on govt

America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty country since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.

If our government said it was in international airspace then it had to be because they do not lie. And neither does any of our unbias and fair media thats for the truth and reporting real news. I can't believe anybody on here would question the unbias reporting of cnn, fox, nbc etc....... they told the truth about romney and obama the whole election. Two men that showed how honest and loving they are toward each party,never smearing each others names or families,with intergrity, honor and pride. Now bless their hearts they are sharing this with us now.

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.